fulton



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

' D. FULTON.

SLIDING GATE.

No. 528,934. v Patented Nov. 13, 1894.

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STATES PAT NT Fries.

DAVID FULTON, OF ENTERPRISE, OREGON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO A. E. FLOWERS, OF SAME PLACE.

SLIDING GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No."528,934, dated November 13,1894.

Application filed June 30, 1894.

. to provide a simple and inexpensive one,

adapted to be readily opened a distance from either side of it to avoid dismounting or leavmg a vehicle, and capable of closing automatically. I

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out 1n the claims hereto appended.

1n the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sliding gate constructed in accordance w th this invention, and shown open. Fig.2 1s a side elevation partly in section showing the gate closed. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail perspective View of the bell crank catch for holding the gate open. Fig. 4 1s a detail view illustrating a modification of the stop of thegate.

Like numerals of reference indicate correspondlng parts in all the figures of the draw- 1ngs.

1 designates a sliding gate, mounted in a supporting frame, which is composed of a central upright or post 2, and a rear post 3, which are provided with vertical openings 4 and 5 to receive the gate. The gate is provided with front and rear inclined track bars 6 and having lower oppositely beveled edges engaging grooved rollers 8 and 9, which are gournaled in the openings 4 and 5 of the posts 2 and 3. By this construction the gate, in opening, is gradually raised to cause the gate to close automatically, and to counterbalance the weight of the gate in order to require but little force to open the gate, a weight 10 is employed and is connected with the gate by a cord or rope 11. The cord or rope 11 has one end attached to the weight. It extends upward from the Weight on one side of the Serial No. 516.180. (No model.)

post 3, and passes over a pulley 12 arranged at the top of the post, and then under a pulley 13, which is journaled in the opening 5 near the top thereof. The rope or cord 11 extends from the pulley 13 to the top of the gate, and is attached to the same at about the center thereof.

The gate is operated by ropes or cords 14 having weighted handles 15 at their outer terminals, which weighted handles depend from angularly disposed arms 16 of uprights 17,10- cated a suitable distance from the gate. The operating ropes or cords extend from the arms of the uprights 17 to pulleys 18 of the post 2, and have their inner adjacent terminals connected with a latch cord or rope 19, which extends under a pulley 20 at the top of the opening 4 of the post 2, and extends to the front of the gate where it is connected with the latch 21. The latch 21 is hinged at its inner end and engages at its outer end a suitable keeper or recess 22 of a latch post 23, a transverse pin being arranged in the recess for holding the latch.

When the gate is opened, it is held in that position by a bell-crank catch 24 constructed of a single piece of metal, and fulcrumed on the central post 2, and adapted to engage a stop 25. The stop 25 is formed by a notch having an inclined or beveled front portion and a shouldered rear wall; but, as illustrated in Fig. 4. of the accompanying drawings, the stop may be formed by a beveled projection 25 secured to the top rail of the gate.

The bell-crank catch consists of a rectangular loop or handle portion 27, which is provided at the top with an eye 28 formed by bending the metal and receiving the latch rope or cord, an L-shaped locking arm 29 extending from one side of the loop and located above the gate and arranged to engage the stop, and an angle arm 30 extending from the upper side of the loop and arranged to engage the post to hold the locking arm up clear of the top of the gate, when the latter is closed.

When the gate is open it is slightly elevated, by reasonof the inclined track bars 6 and 7, to bring the shoulder 25 in position to be engaged by the locking arm 29. The catch is fulcrumed by means of staples or the like linked into eyes 31, which are arranged ICO at the lower ends of the sides of the loop, and are formed by bending the metal.

\Vhen the gate has been opened, the operating cord or rope is quickly released to allow the locking arm of the catch to engage the shouldered end of the beveled projection, and when it is desired to close the gate, the catch is disengaged by a slight pull on either of the operating ropes or cords.

The latch cord or rope, by passing loosely through the eye 28 of the loop, is adapted to hold the catch elevated above the gate out of engagement with the same in opening the gate, and Without its interfering with the operating ropes or cords.

It will be seen that the gate is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it is positive and reliable in operation, and that it may be readily opened at either side of it by a slight pull. It will also be ap parent that the gate is adapted to close automatically as soon as the catch is disengaged.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

hat I claim is- 1. The combination ofasupporting frame, a gate slidingly mounted thereon and provided with a latch and having at its top a stop, a bell-crank catch fulcrumed on the supporting frame and havinga locking arm arranged to engage the said stop, a latch cord having one end connected with a latch and loosely engaging the bell-crank catch, and means for operating the gate connected with the latch cord, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a supporting frame, a sliding gate mounted thereon and having a stop at its top, abell-crank catch fulcrumed on the supporting frame and comprising a loop, an L-shaped locking arm arranged atone side of the loop and located above the gate to engage the stop thereof, and an arm extending from the other sideof the loop and arranged to engage the post to hold the locking arm above the gate when the latter is closed, and means for operating the gate connected with the bell-crank catch, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a supporting frame, a sliding gate mounted thereon and provided with a latch and having a stop at its top, a bell-crank catch fulcrumed on the supporting frame and located above the gate and comprising a loop having an eye, an L-shaped locking arm extending from one side of the loop and arranged to engage the stop and an arm extending from the other side of the loop and arranged to engage the post, a latch cord connected with the latch and loosely passing through the eye of the catch, operating ropes connected with the latch cord, and means for counterbalancing the gate, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DAVID FULTON.

\Vitnesses:

A. 0. SMITH, L. O. HOFFMANN. 

